Vehicle jack



June 11. 1946. R. H. MCCLURE 2,401,787

VEHICLE JACK Filed March 14, 1946 INVENTOR. fia/sfon H Me 670/ ATTORNEYS Patented june '11,, 1.946

NITED mart Ares, PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE JACK Ralston H. McClure, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 14, 1946, Serial No. 654,417

2 Claims. (01. 25 1-433) The present invention relates to vehicle jacks and specifically to jacks intended to be permafor directing such fluid to a selected one or to all of said jacks. I

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a jack suitable for use in such installations.

Another object is to provide a jack which, when.

operated, will not contact the tire of its adjacent wheel even when such tire is deflated and, consequently, flattened to a considerable width.

Still other objects and-advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawingin which Figure 1 is a view of the jack in elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line .3--3 of Figure 2 with the foot eliminated.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the jack.

As indicated in the drawing, the jack consists of an outer tube Ill provided with means, such as fixed clamps l I, for mounting the jack on; for example, the anchor plate of the wheels brake (not shown). This tube l will be closed at the top except for the fluid inlet l2, and will be open at the bottom. Telescoped within tube H3 is a second tube or ram l5 crimped or fluted longitudinally (see Fig. 3) to provide one or several longitudinal guideways I5A, four being preferred and shown. It is to be noted that the guideways l5A are of an arcuate shape in cross section.

The tube I5 is welded or otherwise fixed to a suitable sleeve [6 at its upper endand the latter is of such outside dimension as to fit slidably within tube Ill, acting as a piston. The sleeve it will be provided with a suitable peripheral groove ISA in which is a packing ring l1 preventing leakage of pressure fluid past the sleeve or piston.

Welded or otherwise fixed to the lower end of tube ill is a ring 20, the inner contour of which is such as to fit slidably over the tube l5 and prevent turning of the latter when fluid is forced into the tube ID to project tube l5; it is to be understood that the ring 20 is provided with in-= wardly extending lugs 20', which are received in the guideways I5A and conform to the configuration thereof. The lower end of tube I5 is closed by a foot piece 25, preferably by welding,

and within the assembly is mounted a return spring 2|, carried by suitable eyes 22, one of which is fixed to the foot piece 25, and thereby to tube l5, and the other to the upper closure member of tube ID. This spring 2| is, of course, extended when the tube I5 is forced downwardly and serves I to return the latter when the fluid pressure is released, and also supports the tube 15 in its idle position. A suitable rubber ring-23 may be used to exlclude dust and dirt from the lower end of tube 0.

The foot piece 25 is preferably produced by forming a flat blank to provide an upper horizontal portion 25A and a lower horizontal portion 253 with the connecting intermediate portion 250 arranged angularly so that the portion 253 is displaced well to one side of the axis of the jack (i. e. the axes of tubes I 0 and I5) and away from the wheel as indicated in Fig. 2numeral 30 indicating a flattened tire portion. And in order to stiffen the foot piece, a suitable web plate 26 is preferably welded to the several portions 25A, 25B and 25C.

It is highly important to build a Jack which will occupy a minimum amount of space on an automobile, so that the same will not interfere with adjacent vehicle parts. This is accomplished by keeping the diameter of the cylinder and piston tube to a minimum. Strength is gained in the smaller tube l5 by fluting or crimping the tube l5 longitudinally. These crimps or flutes perform the additional function of providing guideways for the keys or lugs 20' on the ring 20. Obviously, it is also highly important that the foot 25 be held against turning movement and in correct position relative to a deflatedtire at all times.

Great stress is laid on the use of the longitudinal flutes, in that, the curved cross sectional area thereof effectively prevents binding of the keys or lugs therein and assures free sliding movement of the tube in the cylinder.

1 claim:

1. In a hydraulic vehicle jack of the type adapted to be permanently secured to a vehicle in close proximity to a wheel thereof, a cylinder closed at its upper end, a tube of less diameter than the cylinder slidably mounted in said cylinder through the lower end thereof, said tube being provided with longitudinally extending flutes, whereby to strengthen the same, said flutes 3 also forming longitudinally extending guideways. a piston carried by the upper end of theltube snugly engaging the inner face of the cylinder, a foot carried by the lower end of the tube, said foot having a ground engaging member disposed wholly at one side of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and tube, whereby to lie at one side of ed to be permanently secured to a vehicle in close proximity to a wheel thereof, a cylinder closed at its upper end, a ram slidably mounted in said cylinder through the lower end thereof, a piston carried by the upper end of the ram snuglyengaging the inner face of the cylinder, a lack foot, said foot including a top plate secured to the lower end of the ram, a. ground engaging bottom plate disposed wholly at one side'ot the longitudinal axis of the ram and a side wall connecting the top and bottom plates,

the greater portion of said side wall being angularly disposed relative to the top and bottom plates and to the longitudinal we of the ram.

1 were: n. Ma onna. 

